


blue raspberry

by feychella



Category: Not Another D&D Podcast (Podcast)
Genre: Carnival, Drabble, Inspired by Love Simon, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25670899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feychella/pseuds/feychella
Summary: Bev waits for Erlin at the Ferris wheel.
Relationships: Erlin Kindleaf & Beverly Toegold V, Erlin Kindleaf/Beverly Toegold V
Comments: 3
Kudos: 22





	blue raspberry

**Author's Note:**

> me vs beverlin brain...i don't remember writing this but it's in my drafts so...here y'all go!

Beverly had never been to a real carnival before. Yes, they’d had little fairs in Galaderon, but they were usually one night, full of partying. It had been months since Thiala, and yet he still couldn’t relax. Tonight would be good to him. The neon lights flash around him and he stumbles after Moonshine and Hardwon. The smell of popcorn pervades his senses and he shakes his head, trying to clear it.

Mavrus waves a hearty hello to Bev before hugging Hardwon. The two of them get stuck at the basketball station immediately. Bev follows Moonshine towards the skee ball, popping a mint into his mouth. They play together for a while, before he abandons his station and glances around the carnival. No one else is here that he knows. It was kind of expected, they were in Gladehome, after all. Still, he was hoping that Erlin received his invitation. He taps his foot while Moonshine throws the balls at random, groaning each time they ping off the backboard. 

“Waiting for someone, Bev?” Moonshine leans against the game. It blinks under her fingers and he snaps out of his reverie.

“Uh, no! No, I’m having a great time. With you and…” Beverly stares over at Hardwon and Mavrus, both hauling gigantic stuffed animals towards them. “Should we help them?”

Moonshine looks over, braid swinging. “Nah. They’ve got it. So, you mean to tell me you’re not waiting for a special someone?”

“Well...I thought this could be a cool second date, you know, no near-death experiences. Besides you and skeeball, of course.” She laughs, musses his hair again, and starts towards Hardwon.

“Good luck, Bev. We’ll meet you at the Ferris wheel in a few hours. Don’t get into any trouble.”

“Yes ma’am!”

Beverly meanders around the carnival, mind still focused on Erlin. He wouldn’t have _forgotten_ about their date...no, that wasn’t like Erlin at all. Maybe he didn’t want to be his boyfriend. They’d been away from each other for months - Bev on the Stormborn, Erlin back home with Egwene. But they had made a promise to be faithful to each other. Bev trusted him, _of course he trusted him._

He buys a couple giant cones of cotton candy, one blue, one pink. _Blue was always Erlin’s favorite flavor_ , he thinks. Beverly wanders over to the giant Ferris wheel, green and gold lights glowing above him, and slides into the passenger car. Hardwon and Mavrus get in the car behind him, arms slung around each other's shoulders. Moonshine hops in with them and gives Bev a wink. Color rushes to his cheeks and he looks around nervously. No one runs out of the crowd to sit next to him. The Ferris wheel creaks and suddenly he’s being lifted up, up, up into the air, cold air whistling over the empty seat beside him.

Tears rush to his eyes. Erlin forgot. How could he forget? As the car rises above the sparkling city of Gladehome, Beverly’s heart pounds against his chest before settling down and cracking. Maybe he really didn’t care. Moonshine hoots behind him, and he turns to look at his friends. Their faces are bright, glowing, and he smiles, biting into his cotton candy again. It melts in his mouth and he descends towards the ground again. 

_“Wait!”_ A boy’s voice, a young halfling’s voice, rises from the crowd. A small group of people are waiting and Bev leans out of the car to see Erlin pushing his way to the front of the line. He tosses a coin to the ride operator and grabs onto the car, pulling himself up beside Beverly. He blinks the tears away, throwing his arms around Erlin. Some high elves whistle at the two of them and Bev smiles at them, too.

“I thought you-”

“Forgot?”

“Well, because-”

“Bev, how could I forget our second date?”

Beverly hands him his cone of cotton candy. Erlin bites into it, lips stained blue, and grins. He closes his eyes and slings an arm around Bev’s shoulder.

“You’re the best boyfriend ever.”

 _Boyfriend?_ Beverly’s heart races as they rise into the air. Erlin points out the moon and Bev rests his head on Erlin’s arm. He listens to Erlin’s heartbeat and watches the stars wink in different colors above them. His own heart beats in his throat and he gulps, resting his hand on Erlin’s. 

When they reach the top of the Ferris wheel, Erlin tilts Beverly’s face up and kisses him. Bev kisses him back, strawberry mixing with blue raspberry, heart soaring. Erlin breaks away, a soft smile on his lips, and something moves at the corner of Beverly’s vision. He looks down, behind him, and sees his friends standing up, clapping their hands and cheering. Bev lifts his cotton candy up to Erlin, who rips a piece off with his teeth. He pinches off some blue sugar and feeds it to Bev, who laughs, heart lifting already. _Erlin wouldn’t forget about me._ Beverly buries his face in the crook of Erlin’s neck and their fingers intertwine. _Boyfriend,_ he thinks. _What a lovely word._ They float up into the air, over and over, and Beverly memorizes the pattern of Erlin’s heartbeats.


End file.
